


Why Didn't You Stop Me?

by NotSoHotsuin



Category: Shin Megami Tensei: Devil Survivor 2
Genre: Angst, Best Friends, First Kiss, Fluff, Hurt/Comfort, M/M, Some slight Jungo/Daichi, Spoilers for Daichi's Restorer (Failed Restorer) route
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-08-01
Updated: 2017-08-01
Packaged: 2018-12-09 23:28:57
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 5,932
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11679333
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/NotSoHotsuin/pseuds/NotSoHotsuin
Summary: Knowing that the world might be restored, and their memories wiped with it, Daichi makes sure to tell Hibiki everything- just in case he does not get the chance, ever again.Takes place under the event “Main Branch” on Daichi’s route. AKA, probably the first time Daichi uses the word “love” when he’s talking about anyone, and it’s directed at Hibiki of all people.





	Why Didn't You Stop Me?

Daichi cared for Hibiki dearly, but sometimes, his best friend really ought to give his nasty pranks a rest.  
  
Jungo and Daichi took the time to go through JP’s archived information on Polaris and demons in the main branch. Since this was originally Yamato’s base, a lot of files were available that they did not have the authority to access before everyone split up into teams. Hibiki seized the opportunity to sneak up on Daichi, yelling ‘thief!’ to drive him nuts with anxiety. Why Hibiki still found amusement in his sudden outbursts was a mystery, but Daichi planned on scolding him for it every time until he stopped.   
  
“My heart is fragile, you know!? What if you’d given me a heart attack!?”   
“I’d save you, man.” Hibiki said it with such a confident smile that Daichi couldn’t hold back a chuckle. So much for scolding him.   
“I can never tell if you’re pulling my leg or not…” That was a real concern. Hibiki had a good sense of humor, but it was a little difficult to pick up on. To think this was said as a joke was disappointing. It was what he wanted Hibiki to say, but something about the way he said it did not sit right. Daichi brushed his bangs out of his eyes and stared off to the side to break eye-contact with Hibiki.   
  
He could not believe Hibiki picked his team. Daichi never asked him why he did it, but he wanted to know what he was doing here. Someone like Yamato or Ronaldo had a plan already set in stone, and it was laughable to consider himself on the same wavelength. As much as he disagreed with them, there was no doubt that they were better leaders. A soft hand patted his shoulder to snap him out of his daydreaming, and Daichi turned his head to see who it was.   
  
“Don’t worry. He’d save you. You’re his best friend.” Hearing Jungo say it was only making him jittery. Daichi shrugged his shoulders and stepped aside, thankful that Hibiki was consumed with the paperwork on the desk and had no time to notice the awkward blush coloring his cheeks.   
“C’mon, Jungo, don’t just say stuff straight out like that… Sheesh…” It was not as if Jungo said something utterly embarrassing that could be taken the wrong way, but he really wished Hibiki could have been the one to say it. No matter how many times he continued repeating the words ‘best friend’, they were never returned.   
  
“Anyway…” Daichi tried to pull the topic back where it needed to be. It looked as if Hibiki was seeking out information on Trumpeter. For once, he could come through, because there was a piece of paper in JP’s HQ that matched the description of Trumpeter perfectly. “If we use Trumpeter, we can jam up Benetnasch and block that ridiculous attack, right?”   
“That’s right.” Daichi tried to hide the pride showing on his features, and the blush that still persisted on tainting his cheeks in a darker shade.   
“Alright, that makes sense.” It was one of the smallest victories, but it was still sweet to know Hibiki agreed with him on something this critical to their plan. It made him feel like he was in charge, rather than given orders to follow, as usual.   
“Oh, I know! There was a list of demons they kept tabs on… It seemed complicated, so I ignored it.” He regretted saying it out loud, because the complex writing should have told him it was an important document that someone else could have dealt with. Tossing it away was only something an idiot would do. He hurried to undo his mistake, and shuffled papers aside to find it. Everything looked the same at a quick glance, and it was not as if the list had a unique backdrop to make it more noticeable. They could be here forever.   
  
“Damn it, I can’t find it! I thought I remembered putting it around here.” He could tell it was eating at Hibiki’s patience, but he could not force himself to work any faster no matter how hard he tried. Jungo patted Daichi’s shoulder again and held out a piece of paper.   
“Is this it? You threw it on the floor.” Daichi smiled brightly and thanked him before yanking the paper out of his hands to bring it over to Hibiki. He bumped into his best friend’s shoulder and held the piece of paper between them- running his finger over the surface to find the specific demon they were looking for.   
“Look here, near the bottom. Trumpeter… He’s sealed Hibiya Park! Score! The release code’s listed here too!”   
“We got lucky.”   
“Nuh-uh! It’s not luck! It’s our hard work! Unlike you, I rarely have a chance to shine. It’d be nice to be appreciated for once!” If Hibiki could not catch on to this unsubtle subtlety, then he was never going to catch on no matter how bluntly he stated what it was he wanted to say. Hibiki waved him off and looked over the document carefully to double check all the information.   
  
“Yeah, yeah, good for you.” Daichi knew that they had no time to waste, but it still made him want to grab Hibiki by his stupid hoodie and shake him until he gained a lick of common sense. Seeking Hibiki’s approval or affection at a time like this was out of place, but that did not stop him from trying. That also did not stop Hibiki’s reply from hurting. It was not as if it would be misplaced praise. Daichi knew he rarely did anything to help his teammates along, so when he did manage to pull something off, the least that could happen was for someone to show gratitude. He knew that wanting validation or comfort when they were practically at war with other opposing factions was a selfish wish. He did not want everyone to suddenly pat him on the back. All he wanted was for Hibiki to show him some support. One person could make one heck of a difference, even if it was just a few kind words. He forced a smile, and tried to hold back the playful tone in his voice.   
  
“Harsh! Good thing I already love ya, pal! Here you go, release codes, hot from the oven.” The lack of a reaction on Hibiki’s features felt like a punch to the gut. His friend’s eyes did not leave the document as he took a hold of it and turned to walk towards the exit.   
“Alright, see ya. I’m off to Hibiya Park.”   
“W-wait! Dude, you can’t just- aaand he’s off.” Daichi sighed. He leaned against the table and pulled his hands up to cover his face. “...Why the hell did I say that?” He did say it quick enough for Hibiki not to notice, but he hoped he would have done so anyway. It was not everyday that he mustered the strength to tell someone he loved them. After so many failed attempts with Io, he came to realize that he did not feel the same way about her. He could not string together a sentence or keep conversation going with her like a normal person, and that was why they lacked chemistry. She also seemed much more fond of the other guys on the team, so his interactions with her slowly diminished with time- adding to the already existent distance between them. The crush he thought he had was nothing more but blind infatuation, and the friendship he valued more than his own life slowly became more present in his thoughts. Realizing this made him wonder if he could ever tell anyone how he truly felt about them. That was something he fought with up until Hibiki showed him an unmatched kindness.   
  
“You two must be really close.” They were close. Closer than anyone would think. It was a friendship Daichi cherished above all else, and this ordeal was only making his feelings clearer by every day that passed by. Hibiki was always the one to come visit him when he was falling apart. Even when he thought he sounded like a godforsaken loser trapped in a world full of violence, unfit for survival and unfit for fighting, Hibiki made him feel better about himself. He pulled his hands down his face and folded his arms across his chest as if to protect himself from an onslaught. Hibiki either did not pay attention to any of his comments, or ignored them completely. Neither of those options were good.   
  
“My body is numb, my head hurts, and I’m pretty sure my heart just beat itself into a coma…”   
“Are you okay? I’ll call Hibiki!” Daichi grabbed Jungo by the arm to stop him. To his surprise, his friend managed to drag his feet over the floor a few centimeters before he even noticed he was clinging to him.   
“Gah! No! Don’t call him over! It’ll just make it worse!” He pouted and smacked Jungo over the arm. The slap must have been the equivalent of a fly bumping into a tree, because his friend did not react at all to the touch. “Why’d you let me do that!? Why didn’t you stop me!?”   
“Stop what?”   
“You know, the- ngh…” He sighed, and released his grip on Jungo. “Nevermind… Help me clean. Someone needs to put this stuff back on the shelves… or not. It’s not like we’ll come back here, I guess, but you never know.” Jungo nodded, and walked around the table to sort the documents they threw about in a rush to find information on Trumpeter. For a few minutes, there was nothing but the sound of papers being shuffled around until Jungo only heard one set of hands working. He crouched to pick up the lists that were hiding beneath the table on the floor. During his search, he stopped to look up at Daichi, and noticed that he was fiddling with the end of his scarf nervously.

  
“Daichi, is something wrong?”   
“No um, I-” He balled his hand into a fist and bit his tongue. “Forget it. It’s nothing.” Jungo was glad Daichi seemed to have regained his will to help him clean the place up, but that disappointed and sorrowful expression was tugging at his heartstrings. Daichi was clearly not going to talk about it, so he tried a different approach.   


“I think it’s nice that you have a friend who you can rely on.” Jungo watched as Daichi’s lips curved into a smile briefly before returning to something akin to a weak frown- as if he was trying to stop himself from thinking about it.  
“Haha, yeah, it’s nice, I guess... Relying on, bothering, whatever.” Jungo got back up on his feet and tried to meet Daichi’s gaze. Seeing his friend so sullen was making him a little saddened as well.   
“So… why aren’t you happy?”   
“I-I am happy! I’m thrilled! See?” The fake smile was not fooling anyone, not even Jungo. It was not hard to notice that Jungo was feeling down as well. He was always the more empathetic in their group.   
  
“You’re very important to Hibiki, and to the rest of us, too.” It was definitely embarrassing to hear Jungo say such things out loud. Especially since Daichi knew he would not be missed or grieved in the same way someone like Io would be. People did not take a shine to him as quickly, and he did not blame them for it. All that concerned Daichi was whether or not Hibiki agreed with them. He could handle the rest of the world not caring for him, but not Hibiki. Hibiki was the one person he could not afford to lose.   
  
“I know but… A little confirmation wouldn’t hurt. Do you get what I’m saying?” Jungo nodded.   
“Mhm. It’s nice to make people feel appreciated. I’m sure if you ask him-”   
“Like what I did a second ago? Yeah, no thanks. I’d rather fight the last Septentrione myself than go through this again. It would probably hurt less, too.” He tapped the tip of his shoe against the glossy floor and bit his lower lip. No matter how hard Daichi tried to read Hibiki’s expressions, he was always at a loss. That was just one more thing Hibiki was better at than he was. Hibiki could read him so easily, and Daichi struggled to do the same. He could tell what Hibiki was feeling with other people, but not when he found himself at the center of his attention. It was unnerving.   
  
“It… I just… It would have been nice to get some reaction to it. I can’t tell if he’s joking or not half the time he says nice things.” Daichi laughed nervously and turned to stare to the side. There was a slight blush on his cheeks he was trying to rub away with the back of his palm. “I guess that’s not his problem. It really doesn’t matter what I think in the end…” A strong arm took a hold of Daichi’s shoulder and softly pulled him in for a hug. Jungo moved his free hand to the back of Daichi’s neck to lean his head against his chest and hold him close.   
“Cheer up.”   
“Um…” If only it was that easy.   
“If he’s this important to you, then you must be as important to him.” It took some time, but Daichi finally allowed his arms to wrap around Jungo as well. Jungo could feel him relax into the hug, and leaned his head on Daichi’s for support.   
“...Thanks.” The moment passed far too quickly. It only took two seconds for Daichi to pat Jungo on the back to signal that the hug was over. Jungo continued holding his palms on Daichi’s shoulders, keeping him steady on his feet. He followed Daichi’s gaze, which happened to be fixed at the exit of the Tokyo Branch’s Headquarters, and smiled knowingly.   
“You know, I can finish the rest here. Hibiki will need help summoning Trumpeter. You should go.”   
“Can’t I go tomorrow?” The smile faded abruptly at Daichi’s protest.   
“But… there won’t be a tomorrow.”   
“R-right. You’re… right.” Daichi smiled to thank him properly. “Okay, I’ll go. Thanks. I really owe you for this.”   
“You can have chawanmushi with me when you come back.” Daichi knew he was going to owe Jungo a favor, but this did not really sound like the favor he wanted to fulfill.   
“Yeeeaaaah... um, we’ll see! Gotta go now! Bye!”   
  
Good thing he had an excuse to run away this time.

 

* * *

 

Finding Hibiki was the easy part. The hard part came when he tried to psyche himself up to confront him about what it was they needed to talk about. Hibiki was always willing to listen, which made things easier, but he also had better things to do- more important things to do, which made it much harder to get to the point. Daichi was not good at summarizing thoughts and presenting arguments with brevity. Hibiki knew it as well, but this was pushing it to a whole new level.  


“I know I shouldn’t make things harder for you, but here I am, ready to make things harder for you.” His best friend was understanding, and stayed by to listen to what it was he had to say. Daichi loved that about him. It never looked as if he tuned him out just to get the conversation over with, and that made him feel safer.  
“What’s up?”   
“Well, I… I said some stuff back there and… I was just wondering if you wanted to um… talk about it.” There was worry in Hibiki’s eyes, and Daichi immediately realized he may have misinterpreted his words.   
“...Do you have a medical condition I don’t know about?”   
“I’m sorry, wha- no! That’s not what I meant! I-I mean, it wouldn’t hurt if you stopped sneaking up on me, slowly peeling layers off my lifespan, but-” He shook his head and stopped himself from droning on. This was wasting time- precious seconds that they could not afford to lose right now.   
  
“I told you I…” He laughed nervously. “I-It’s silly, really. You already know everything about me. You know I’m not academic, or handsome, or-” When Daichi noticed the discomfort showing in Hibiki’s eyes, he placed his hand over his mouth and tried to tone down the self-deprecating comments. “-ooor smart enough to figure out when I’m making people uncomfortable… I’m just a normal person, basically… no one special.”   
“Daichi, is there a… point in there somewhere?” Hibiki wanted to say that the comments were more than a little unfair, but if he got Daichi started on that topic again, they could be here for weeks.   
“S-sorry… I just thought, maybe…” The confusion in Hibiki’s eyes was clear, and Daichi wished his best friend could stop playing thick for a moment not to make him repeat himself.   
  
“Maybe you’d… I don’t know, say it back.”   
“...Say what?” This was starting to wear him out.   
“Oh, come on! Don’t make me say it again! It was hard enough the first time. I practically had to talk so fast to hide it that it didn’t even count!” It was the only way he knew how to say it- by making it look unimportant in contrast to everything else that had happened over the last few days. That was exactly what it was- unimportant. His words did not matter in this world, not when there was so much going on. They had to put all their strength into changing the world, yet he found himself wasting even more of Hibiki’s time. It was clear that Hibiki was the leader. No matter how the world turned out, Daichi knew Hibiki could come out prosperous under any pressure. He could not say as much about himself.   
  
“I… I still can’t believe you picked my way. I mean, I didn’t even have a solution for anything. I just… went by denouncing all other choices.”   
“It was the right thing to do.”   
“Following me was the right thing to do?”   
“You telling Yamato and Ronaldo off was the right thing to do, that’s what I meant. You did well.” Hibiki appeared to be lost in thought, but a faint smile colored his lips. “-It was pretty awesome.”   
“Oh. Uh. Sarcasm? Detecting sarcasm? Yeah, I have no idea if that was sarcasm or not.” The bright smile on Hibiki’s face told him it was probably not a joke, but he had fooled him before. His best friend took a few steps closer, and gave him a pat on the shoulder. Daichi took note to how he let his touch linger.

  
“You’re a good leader when you’re not beating yourself down.” As comforting as it was to hear those words, there was a bitter aftertaste in his mouth after taking it to heart.   
“You… say that as if I had anything to do with it. All I’m good for is mouthing back.” Hibiki could not be talking about him. Not the him from these seven days. Hinako acted more as the team leader, and if Hinako was out of the picture, then Hibiki was surely a viable second option for team leader. There was no way he could be speaking so positively about him through all his acts of cowardice. Hearing him say it now with a smile on his face just felt disingenuous. It was also not what he wanted to hear from him. Appreciation was nice, but he had a message to deliver this time. Daichi kept his gaze fixed on the ground wistfully before allowing his fingers to curl around Hibiki’s hands- softly pulling them off his shoulders as gently as possible. It was done so gradually that Hibiki was starting to worry if something was seriously wrong.   
  
“Be honest with me. I can take it. I-... yeah, I probably can’t, but I’m gonna have to-” Daichi tried not to flinch at the lack of warmth near his palm when he let go of Hibiki’s hands. He did not have the courage to look him in the eye. It was just another unfortunate setback that came with being him. His throat was dry, his muscles were tense, and it felt as if the entire world was staring at him. That was not far from the truth. The person he spent most of his life with was looking at him, and Daichi wanted nothing more than to give him the support he deserved. It was something he struggled with, but being weak was not an excuse he wanted to cling to. Even if he was not as strong as Jungo, or knew how to fight like Keita, he wanted Hibiki to rely on him as much as he did on everyone else when they were fighting Septentriones. He wanted Hibiki to shout his name when he needed backup, not Makoto’s, or Fumi’s. That was why he had to make himself vulnerable. The only downside was that there was no way for him to take his words back after this- no way to deny what he was feeling.   
  
“I… I really love you a lot.” Daichi did not dare look up to meet Hibiki’s gaze. He feared his friend would be indifferent, or even disgusted. Saying these words so seriously without any comedic subtext was eating at him. It felt too real. Too powerful. There was no way he could bounce back and claim it was a joke. His humor was his safety net- a false sense of security to fall back on if he made Hibiki uncomfortable with what he had said. This was like jumping out of an airplane without a parachute. Right now, it felt about equally as painful as sticking a landing without one, too. The moment Hibiki placed his hand on his shoulder again was the moment he tensed up and curled his fingers into his palm. Hibiki could feel the lightest of shivers beneath his friend’s uniform.   
  
“It just sucks that I can’t do anything to help!” Still with his eyes on the ground, and his heart hammering painfully in his chest, he uttered something he had been keeping secret from Hibiki since they were kids. His loud tone took on a more unbalanced waver, and his expression was strained with heartache. “It’s always been this way between us. Ever since we were kids… You’ve always had to clean up my mess, and I’ve always just wished I could be a little better at what I do so I wouldn’t… so I wouldn’t have to force you to do this all alone.” Seeing and hearing Daichi act so cheerless was not completely out of character, but it was always heartbreaking.   
  
“I feel like all I do is disappoint you. I tell you I really care for you, but why should you care for me? I haven’t given you a reason! All I’ve done is complain about how I can’t do anything, and how I just want everything to go back to the way it was-” He choked on his words, and pulled his hands up to cover his face. The joints of his fingers rested beneath his eyebrows as he tried to force the hurt back down his throat, but his worries were laid bare in an endless stream once he finally got the chance to be honest with himself. If their memories were going to be wiped, then there was no reason to stop talking. Not that he could force himself to stop, even if he tried.   
  
“I was good for nothing in the old world and I’m good for nothing in this one! I don’t wanna be a guy you’re just hanging out with because he doesn’t want to leave you alone! I wonder why you don’t call me your best friend, but I really shouldn’t be surprised-!” Calling Hibiki his best friend was more than a way to validate their friendship- it was to prompt him to say it back, but he never did. He masked his need for comfort through comedic relief. If his plan failed, he could always shift the topic back to something different not to focus on it, or claim it was a joke, but the fact Hibiki never professed the same amount of care for him still hurt. It felt as if he was making an empty gesture, and the longer it continued, the more convinced he became that their relationship was not all that close.   
  
“No matter how much I try, it doesn’t end well! Hinako, Fumi, Airi, Keita-” His voice turned uneven and low, cracking at the realization no one really considered him a valuable team member, and that Hibiki might be no different from them. “-God damn it there’s too many to count! Everyone is right about me! I’m wasting your time with something so stupid when we have bigger problems to worry about than hurt feelings. I really am an idiot, I-” Hibiki grabbed Daichi and pulled him into his arms by sheer force. Daichi stumbled, unprepared, and fell straight into Hibiki’s embrace. Hibiki’s arms wrapped around him tightly, one coming to rest at his waist while the other rested over his shoulder. As soon as Daichi had stopped his tiresome monologue and realized they were now hugging for some reason, he buried his face in the comfortable fabric of Hibiki’s familiar hoodie. He was surprised his vocal chords still had the strength to speak.   
  
“That took you way too long, man… Way, way too long…!” Daichi’s body trembled at his best friend’s touch. The way he was smoothly running his fingers through his hair was helping him calm down. Somehow, the moment made him even more painfully furious with himself. This was exactly what he was talking about. Even when he poured his heart out, Hibiki was always left to manage the broken pieces of his ego- carefully putting him back together regardless of how shattered he felt.   
  
“Sorry,” Hibiki sounded conflicted. “-I wasn’t sure what to disagree with first…” A hug was better than nothing. Daichi leaned his cheek against Hibiki and slipped into the crook of his neck. For once, even if it was just once, he wanted to comfort Hibiki the same way. He wanted to be the one to tell him everything was going to be alright- that this ordeal was something he could fix. In the end, the outcome did not change, no matter what his goal was. Being a pillar of support was simply not a personality trait he could force.   
  
“Daichi, you know they don’t hate you, right?” Daichi was aware that his friends did not hate him, but he was also aware that they did not like him, or think highly of him. That completely missed the mark of what he was trying to convey.   
“That wasn’t the point. The point is that they’re right… I’m no good in a crisis.”   
“There’s nothing wrong with the way you’re reacting. Everyone’s scared. Some of us are just better at hiding it.” Hibiki chuckled and rubbed circles along Daichi’s back. “You’re not good at hiding anything. It’s one of the things I really like about you. It’s how I know you’ve always been honest with me.”   
“I… I’m sorry. Haha, look at that, you have to comfort me again. As always…”   
“You have a whole lifetime to make up for it.” Daichi placed his hands on Hibiki’s shoulders and pulled back only enough to make out his expression. It seemed as if Hibiki was implying he was planning on staying friends until the end of time. The approach was too optimistic, even for Hibiki. The thought was nice, but Daichi was sure he would get bored somewhere down the line, if he had not gotten bored already.   
  
“...Seriously?”   
“If you want to. Isn’t that what best friends are for?” The immense pressure that had build up in his chest vanished in one go, and his body felt so much lighter hearing Hibiki finally say it.   
“I’m… yeah, no, you don’t need to hear me say I’m sorry again, um…” He took a deep breath and sighed to get rid of any anxiety that was still lingering within him. “It’s… hard to believe. You, me, best friends. I know I say it all the time but that doesn’t make it true. I wish there was a way I’d know for sure.”   
“...Do you want me to show you?”   
“Sure, I’d- wait, huh? Show me what?”   
“Close your eyes.” This would not have sounded as ominous if it came from someone else. There was no telling what Hibiki would do. As much as Daichi took pride in knowing Hibiki better than anyone else, he still found himself stumped at some of his lines. His reply came in uneven pauses between every few words, as if he was too afraid to finish the sentence.   
  
“Uh, how are you going to show me anything if my eyes are closed?”   
“Use your imagination.” Daichi did not feel like playing games, but he closed his eyes anyways. There was a slight chance Hibiki was going to pull a prank on him- ask him to close his eyes and leave the scene. Daichi would not notice unless he heard footsteps fade out. All those thoughts were dismissed when Hibiki let his palm cup his cheek. The heat from Hibiki’s fingers, and how softly they rested against him made him part his lips to speak, but Hibiki shut him down.   
  
“Keep your eyes closed and let me show you,” Daichi swallowed hard, feeling nervous with the newfound touches. The darkness did not help him reach a sense of calm. It reminded him too much of the black scar. Although, he admitted that the way Hibiki was moving his hand over to the back of his neck distracted him well enough for him to forget about it. Still chest to chest, Daichi could feel the motion of Hibiki’s arms move beneath his fingers, and how the air was heating up between them.   
  
“You should give yourself more credit. You’re the reason we’re not all fighting like children.” The warmth of their embrace was making him sleepy, and the idea of falling asleep in Hibiki’s arms -while completely inconvenient- made a small smile tug at the corner of his lips. He was starting to wonder if the breeze was this hot before, and whether or not Hibiki could sense the faint scent of dew clinging to the grass beneath their feet. Everything seemed so enhanced when he had his eyes closed- from the sound of Hibiki’s breaths, to the feeling of his hand rubbing over the back of his neck.   
  
“I don’t know why you were surprised that I joined your team. You should know me better than that,” If Hibiki thought it was okay to place these subtle touches over his skin, then there was nothing to stop Daichi from reaching out to Hibiki in a similar fashion. That might have been a tad presumptuous, but he was left impatient waiting for Hibiki to make up his mind. He pulled his fingers off Hibiki’s shoulder one by one as gently as possible not to disrupt whatever it was he was trying to prove. The back of his fingers softly brushed against Hibiki’s neck before he withdrew his hand sharply. He completely forgot his best friend had that dumb turtleneck sweater on. If he had his eyes open, maybe he would have made less of a fool out of himself for trying to touch him in that way. Daichi’s only saving grace was praying that the thickness of the shirt blocked the faint touch. He let out a weak hum and furrowed his brows when Hibiki ran both his hands through his hair to push his bangs out of his eyes.   
  
“-just like you should know that I’ve always loved you.” Daichi’s eyelashes fluttered open only for a second before he felt Hibiki’s lips on his, silencing whatever words tried to make themselves heard. The kiss was chaste, but it was too much to take in at once. He was both delighted, and frightened- so paralyzed that he did not return the kiss at all and forced Hibiki to pull away. When he opened his eyes again, he saw a look on Hibiki’s face that he had never seen before. His best friend’s cheeks were rosy, and he was staring at his feet bashfully as if to muster an apology.

  
“W-why did you-!? I-” Any confusion Hibiki had about whether or not Daichi enjoyed the kiss seemed to be washed away at the tone of his response.   
“You said you couldn’t believe me, so-”   
“D-dude, this doesn’t make us best friends, it makes us-!” Daichi pulled his hands through his hair and rubbed the back of his neck nervously. The word that came to mind made his cheeks feel hot. “T-that’s completely unfair! You can’t just k-k.. ki-... Oh, man, I can’t even say it! Look what you did! You broke the only Daichi you had left. There might be spare parts to fix me but they’re all in the void!” Hibiki’s laugh was only making his cheeks redder. “-Don’t laugh! This is your fault! That wasn’t what I was going for at all!”   
“Then don’t say you love me with that sad look on your face.” Hibiki grinned and put his fist against Daichi’s cheek and pressed lightly to nudge those unblinking eyes away from his form. As much as he enjoyed it when Daichi was eying him up and down, now was a little embarrassing.   
  
“O-oh, um… O-okay, maybe it was what I was going for but… I… I never expected you to…” Hibiki let his index finger rest at Daichi’s jaw while his thumb was placed at his chin.   
“Be prepared this time.” Kissing once left Daichi’s head spinning, and he was sure a second kiss was only going to make him even more dizzy.   
“What!? You can’t say that so close to my face! Give me at least five to ten… years to fully prepare myse-” They did not even have five to ten minutes. That was why Hibiki shut him up not to waste the next few minutes talking. Their second kiss was much like the first one, light, simple, and brief. The only difference was that he felt Daichi kiss him back with a lot more energy. He seemed less confused, and more sure of himself.   
  
If Daichi knew that Hibiki thought he was showing more confidence, he’d have laughed out loud. There was nothing more terrifying than spilling his heart out and wondering if it would be met with the same trust and empathy. He was still trying to piece together the part where Hibiki said he loved him. It felt like someone else was more deserving of those words, but he could not put his finger on what name he was trying to recall when Hibiki pressed his lips against him so sweetly.   
  
All his mind could think of was Hibiki- the way he kissed, touched, smiled and whispered those reassuring words he felt he needed to hear him say over and over again.   
  
One thing was for sure, and it was that this served as heck of an incentive to get the world restored quicker so that they could go back to their daily lives.   
  
So that the idea of Hibiki wanting to kiss him could get some time to sink in.


End file.
